Nashville Mayor David Briley speaks to a participant at the 2019 Women's Rally at Public Square Park on Jan. 19, 2019. Briley announced his re-election intentions in September.(Photo11: Shelley Mays / The Tennessean)

Mayor David Briley reported Thursday raising $366,878 for his re-election campaign over the past six months, giving him a fundraising advantage out of the gate in Nashville's mayor's race as others still weigh bids.

Year-end financial disclosures were due to the Davidson County Election Commission on Thursday, detailing fundraising activity from July 1 through Jan. 15.

Briley, who announced his re-election intentions in September, reported spending $26,914 over the six-month period, giving him $344,564 on hand to spend.

His contributions include $18,703 that was transferred from his campaign account from last year's mayoral special election, which he won.

Briley's lone challenger to this point, state Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, reported raising $136,303 while boasting $135,564 on hand.

But $100,000 of that came from a personal loan, while individual contributions accounted for the remaining $36,303.

Clemmons, a Nashville attorney, did not formally announce his candidacy until Jan. 16, but he appointed a treasurer two weeks earlier. A campaign spokesman said all of the fundraising came after Jan. 2.

None of Clemmons' donations came from Davidson County residents, and only six came from people with Tennessee addresses. California, New York and Washington, D.C., residents provided much of the fundraising The contributions were made before the state legislative session began Jan. 8.

As a state lawmaker, Clemmons is allowed under state law to accept campaign contributions from within Davidson County for his mayoral run during the state session but not from outside the county.

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State Rep. John Ray Clemmons announces he will run for Nashville mayor during a news interview Jan. 15, 2019.(Photo11: Mark Zaleski/The Tennessean)

Briley's haul is less than the $404,495 he raised in just one month for last year's special election immediately after he took over as mayor on an interim basis following the resignation of former Mayor Megan Barry.

Briley's biggest fundraising event so far for this year's race was a November fundraising kickoff co-hosted by his former Chief Operating Officer Rich Riebeling, who retired earlier in the fall.

“This early and strong support from across Nashville is inspiring, but I know there is much work to be done,” Briley said in a statement.

“It has been an honor to serve our city as mayor, and I will continue to work every day to help spread prosperity and equity throughout our city. Come August, I am confident that voters will agree that I am the best person to continue our city’s upward trajectory."

Decisions from Cooper, Freeman still coming

At-large Councilman John Cooper and real estate executive Bill Freeman, among those who are considering mayoral runs, are expected to make their decisions soon. At-large Councilwoman Erica Gilmore also hasn't ruled out runs for either mayor or vice mayor.

Freeman and Cooper are believed to be in position to self-finance a portion of their campaigns, if they were to enter, particularly Freeman, who loaned his campaign more than $3.8 million during an unsuccessful mayoral bid in 2015.

Many observers believe the mayor's race could require campaigns to spend between $1.5 million and $2 million to compete.

Clemmons to launch 'Kitchen Table Tour'; Briley unveils campaign team

Clemmons' campaign spokesman David Myles called the level of grassroots support that Clemmons is receiving "phenomenal," adding that it's clear Nashvillians want a "bold and decisive mayor."

He said the Clemmons campaign is launching a "Kitchen Table Tour" to talk to Nashvillians at their homes.

"John Ray Clemmons isn't running to be the money’s mayor," he said. "He's going to be the people’s mayor. The old way of doing business in this county doesn't work. Rep. Clemmons is a proven leader who will do whatever necessary to address the most pressing challenges facing our community."

Briley, former Nashville vice mayor, was elevated to the mayor's office after Barry's March 6 resignation amid a sex scandal with her former police bodyguard. He defeated 12 challengers, many who were political unknowns, in a May 24 special election to finish the final year of Barry's term.

He's now beginning his second campaign in less than a year, but is doing so after a challenging first year that saw Nashville debate a contentious transit plan and Major League Soccer stadium, shoot down a property tax increase and renege on cost-of-living pay increase for Metro workers.

Briley has announced a core campaign team that includes Sarah Lingo as campaign manager, April Caldwell Scholten as volunteer and field coordinator, Morey Hill as communications director and Hannah Pridemore as campaign treasurer.